


An Enormous Wardrobe

by Chocolatepot



Category: Poldark (TV 2015)
Genre: Clothing Porn, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 01:27:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21929101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chocolatepot/pseuds/Chocolatepot
Summary: Demelza wishes that Caroline would open up about her troubles, but her friend would rather discuss plans to buy Demelza some new clothes. (Set during 2x05.)
Relationships: Demelza Carne & Caroline Penvenen
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	An Enormous Wardrobe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vaznetti](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vaznetti/gifts).



Demelza was astonished to find that Caroline had come back from London – she was like some colorful bird from foreign parts, and it seemed natural that she would have only landed briefly in Penzance on her way somewhere more exciting. But come back she had, with her trunks full of clothes and her mouth full of chatter about the city, not to mention her sweet-smelling, soft-handed sweetheart. (She was rather in awe of him, he was so Ross’s opposite; like George Warleggan but with the badness taken out, or perhaps never put in.) She was also astonished to find that, even after having tasted London’s delights again, Caroline was still apparently happy with her company.

When she told her so, Caroline laughed, showing all of her pretty white teeth. “You dear, sweet thing. Of course I value your company! You help me keep my mind off of all my troubles.”

“Do you have troubles, Caroline? You might share them, if you like.”

“Oh, no, no, you don’t want to hear them. Such silly little dramas.”

“Well, I would like to help you relieve them,” said Demelza, but it was clear that Caroline was not in the mood to share a confidence – she pursed her lips into a pout, then suddenly smiled.

“You know what would make me feel so much better? If you would let me take you to the mantua-maker in Truro and have a few things made up for you. It would be such a treat to dress you, dear. You did look very sweet in that red calico the other night, but so much more could be done by someone with an artistic eye and deft hands. Or deft apprentices.”

Demelza tried and failed to hide a smile. “Have you ever been to Mrs. Trelawney’s?”

“No, I haven’t had that honor.” As Demelza’s smile grew wider, Caroline tilted her head to the side and sighed. “Oh, I see. Yes, I suppose anyone around here would be … shall we say, beneath my standards. Well, you must let me order some clothes for you from the modiste I patronize in London.”

Demelza gasped. “Oh, I couldn’t! I hardly ever have any reason to wear nice things, it would be such a waste of money.”

But Caroline did not care about the waste of money, and sent for her basket of silk scraps before taking Demelza to inspect her wardrobe.

“I always keep the bits left over from the making of my gowns in case I wish to send a piece with an order for comparison,” she said, sorting through the pile to find one in particular and hold it up next to Demelza’s face. “There! This green would be divine on you. Oh, and this plum – so lovely against your hair. Do you see anything you like?” Demelza paused, feeling as though she shouldn’t touch the shimmering fabric, but darted her hand in almost at random to choose one. “Oh dear, no, I think that pink would be very trying on you. Perhaps this gold?”

Caroline’s wardrobe had a room all to itself, and a maidservant dedicated to cleaning, mending, and altering it. “Now, let’s see. I never wear … this one.” She tugged a plain wool gown off of a hook and draped it over a nearby chair. “Who knows why I even have it. But you can put it on and Rebecca will take it in to fit you, and we’ll send it off to London to have your gowns made by.” She would not hear any argument, and stripped Demelza down to her stays in a trice to allow her maid to dress her in the cast-off. “Now, I think a redingote would look charming on you, and the country is of course the proper setting.”

“A riding coat?” 

“Redingote, darling, for once the French took a word from us. It’s nice and warm and you can button it in front. Yes, in navy blue wool with black velvet revers, that would be lovely.” She snatched up a piece of some fabric in blue and held it up. “Very nice. You could wear that for one of your cliffside walks. Now, something that’s becoming very fashionable is the cutaway front – you see how the top of the bodice is almost like a separate piece? That can be in two colors, perhaps something very striking like – like violet and yellow. I should really like to see that.” As she spoke, she went to another basket on a table by the window and drew out a length of yellowish lace. “Here’s a bit of blonde I was saving for something, but it would look very nice against your complexion, although I suppose it’s a bit out of the fashion right now.” Her prattling seemed to flow like a river, with no pauses or hesitations or spaces for Demelza to say what she’d like or not like. Something was still very wrong, Demelza realized – her friend needed to talk in order to drown out her own thoughts.

“I don’t suppose anyone in this backw– Penzance has seen a _chemise_ , have they? The word means ‘shift’, you know, but it isn’t really a shift – it’s a gown made of the most luscious mull, gathered up on drawstrings so that it floats around you like a cloud. The Duchess of Devonshire has one, and Perdita Robinson. The most comfortable thing you can wear, although white can be trying to a complexion.”

It sounded very impractical and difficult to keep clean to someone who did much of the work of the household, but it was more important to help keep Caroline’s mind busy until she was ready to touch on the troubles that clung to her like a dark _chemise_ -cloud. She would not allow Caroline to order her the enormous wardrobe that she seemed to be planning, but would talk her down to a new linen gown and petticoat made by Mrs. Trelawney, which would be much more useful to her. In the meantime, however, there was nothing wrong with a little bit of daydreaming about being the sort of fine lady who could dress in such a way.


End file.
